There is little doubt that Canon U.S.A. should take no small amount of pride in the many awards its product and service portfolio have garnered from third-party assessment organizations throughout the years. But perhaps the greatest triumph in validating the value proposition of Canon’s portfolio can be found in the partnerships it has solidified in ensuring that end-users are deriving the ultimate benefit from the OEM’s efforts.
On the heels of a year when distancing was the rallying cry, acting as a linchpin between its technology partners (Therefore Online, mxHero and Box), dealer reseller community allies (LDI Color ToolBox, Systronics, among others) and its own Business Information Communications Group (BICG) to develop and foster unique solutions brings unification to an often-decentralized world of business operations. That relationship fallback offers the peace of mind craved at a time when it is in shortest supply.
Canon U.S.A. is not reinventing the wheel, but it is helping all of its stakeholders connect the dots throughout a fluid business environment while laying out a strategic roadmap for the temporary/new normal and the process of moving forward. We spoke with Mason Olds, senior vice president and general manager of sales for BICG, to learn more about the manufacturer’s efforts to help their partners adapt and thrive.
Tell us about your career path leading up to your current role with Canon.
Olds: I began my career in the imaging business working for a small copier dealer in Western Massachusetts while earning an undergraduate degree from Davidson College. Prior to joining Canon, I was a salesperson with Eastman Kodak Company, working in and around New York City for more than six years.
I joined Canon U.S.A. in 1990 as a copier salesman before becoming a manager in the Graphic Systems Division, where I was then promoted to director and eventually general manager. In 2003, I was assigned to Canon Canada, where I served as senior vice president and general manager of the Imaging Systems Group. In 2010, I returned to Canon U.S.A. to assume the role of vice president and general manager of sales for the company’s Business Information Communications Group (BICG). Promoted in January 2015 to senior vice president, I now proudly serve as the company’s senior vice president and general manager in sales for BICG.
Talk a little about Canon’s business performance in 2020, particularly in regard to the Business Imaging Communications Group (BICG). What were some of the key variables driving your results?
Olds: During these unprecedented times, we’ve had to shift our business focuses and priorities, but what’s remained the same is our commitment to our customers. With this in mind, key variables that helped us drive efficiency throughout 2020 have been our creativity and high-quality solutions.
Driven by innovation, we’re committed to continue developing solutions that can not only help streamline workflows and meet current customer and business needs, but also allow our customers to create materials so they can easily communicate health safety guidelines and protocols. Aligning with this commitment, some recent examples of developments include the EOS Webcam Utility and Check-In Online software solutions, as well as expansion of the PosterArtist/PosterArtist Lite software to offer the ability to create COVID-19 related signage.1
When workplaces closed as a result of the pandemic, we quickly shifted to support our customers as they adapted to remote work. Designed to help our customers establish consistent workflows across a disparate workforce, as well as maintain security features and control,2 we utilized our expertise and high-quality technology to implement solutions that have the potential to provide new opportunities for businesses as they navigate through the hybrid work environment. Serving as a recent example, our imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX multifunction printers in the office and desktop imageCLASS multifunction printers at home can be connected with the uniFLOW Online solution to provide users with security features,2 detailed reporting and potential cost savings to support employees across disperse locations. Additional third-party solutions like Therefore Online, mxHero and Box3 have also been key components due to their security features,2 mobile capabilities and remote operation.
What were some of the highlights in 2020 for Canon across all lines of business, particularly in the dealer channel?
Olds: This period has presented several challenges for businesses, especially dealers. But despite these obstacles, it has been amazing to see how organizations have been able to use this as a time to think creatively, and shift their business offerings to reflect current customer and market needs. Some of these highlights include dealers such as LDI Color ToolBox and Systronics, who used their creativity to support others during the pandemic.
To help patients recognize their health care heroes behind the mask, registered nurses at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, part of the Northwell Health system, created Project Unseen Heroes. They generated oversized laminated individual photo badges that caregivers clipped to their PPE. With help from LDI Color ToolBox and Canon’s imagePRESS C810 solution, the project was expanded to include Huntington Hospital. Using Canon’s PRISMAprepare software to simplify the task and its imagePRESS C810 digital press to print the badges, the combined team was able to produce, laminate and slot punch 2,500 badges for the hospital’s caregivers.
For Canon U.S.A. dealer Systronics, service is the main focus. Despite the challenges thrown its way, it continues to hold this value high and is even recognized as one of the leading Therefore Online dealerships in the country. Even as it was just settling back into some sort of normalcy after recovering from Hurricane Maria, the company quickly had to shift again during the pandemic. Using Canon’s latest PosterArtist solutions COVID-19 related templates,1 Systronics has been helping local customers create, design and produce signage, posters and flyers to let the public know they are open for business.
Provide some insight into Canon’s journey through the COVID-19 period. How did the company pivot to ensure the needs of its reseller clients were being met? Talk a little about the tools Canon has unveiled to facilitate and enhance business continuity.
Olds: In an effort to help resellers meet their needs, we remain in ongoing communication with them, and we’re committed to developing solutions and events with their feedback in mind. Our Customer Solutions Center continues to deliver innovative service solutions to its vast network of direct and non-direct sales channels. This includes introducing technologies such as virtual presence to its field and engineering technicians to help further service and connect with its authorized dealers and customers—even in dispersed locations. This technology leverages augmented reality to allow Canon’s support specialist experts to virtually reach out and touch what the field technician is working on through their mobile device, ultimately helping with device uptime through a more efficient, productive support experience.
Diversification has long been touted as the road to future growth opportunities. How is BICG helping dealers reconcile the pandemic-fueled movement toward A4 products while providing a roadmap for the future office?
Olds: We remain in regular contact with our authorized dealers, and offer a number of webinars for both customers and dealers on a variety of topics. We have also transitioned some of our instructor-led classes to virtual training engagements to help support our dealers’ upcoming business opportunities.
In addition, in place of our in-person roadshows this year, Canon scheduled virtual sessions throughout the summer of 2020. They were focused around how to help dealers as they get back to business, with an emphasis on cloud security solutions, leveraging technology and collaboration in the future of work, and diversifying and expanding business offerings.
Looking across your portfolio, what are some of the technology areas BICG plans to address for dealers in the coming year?
Olds: Prioritizing service and solutions designed to help the transition into a hybrid work environment have been especially important technology areas for dealers over the past few months, and will continue to be in 2021. To help its dealers focus in on these areas, BICG plans to continue offering insights into how its channel partners can remain efficient in 2021 and beyond by leveraging virtual communications, remote service tools and solutions, such as mxHero Secure Scan-to-Email,1 that are equipped to support users as they navigate through the hybrid work environment. To do so, Canon is aiming to continue offering training and webinars to provide dealers with key insights and tips that can help them explore these technology areas.
With Kazuto Ogawa taking leadership of Canon U.S.A., along with a number of other appointments, what is the future vision for CUSA/BICG?
Olds: Mr. Ogawa assumed his new appointment as president and CEO of Canon U.S.A. in April 2020, a pivotal time on our world during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has demonstrated his intelligence and leadership skills in the way he has been swift and nimble in the face of challenge. Despite the obstacles, Mr. Ogawa remained optimistic for the future ahead, promoting togetherness and strength within his employees to help ensure he remained connected with us even when afar.
The future for Canon U.S.A. and its BICG reflects our corporate philosophy of Kyosei. We plan to work together and be strong in order to continue developing solutions that align with customer and industry needs in 2021 and beyond.
Throughout the past year, Canon has won multiple awards from Buyers Lab, including serviceability/support, production print innovation and document imaging software, to name a few. How do you build upon this past success?
Olds: In a year when high-quality solutions backed by outstanding service and support have been more important than ever, we’re proud to receive multiple awards from distinguished organizations for our serviceability, innovation and document imaging software. At Canon, we are committed to innovation and developing solutions that meet our customer needs, and we continue to build upon our previous success by reflecting these commitments each day.
When we develop new products, we take a close look at what there is a need for in the market and listen to feedback from our customers, taking into consideration what businesses demand. Implementing these needs into our solutions reflects our innovative spirit, which helped us to be successful in the past and will continue to serve us well in the future.
Obviously, the pandemic has changed a lot of rules for doing business. What can dealers do to ensure they are maximizing their opportunities for growth under less-than-optimal conditions?
Olds: We have identified three trends we find important for dealers to embrace as they continue to create, adapt and maximize growth in 2021. They are:
Utilizing Virtual Technologies
Businesses across the globe have been able to enhance customer service and support, as well as shift their operations, by embracing virtual communications. While most people agree that virtual connections can never replace in-person experiences, virtual trainings, such as the ones offered by Canon U.S.A., can provide dealers with insights into relevant topics for today’s business environment, as well as ways to diversify portfolios and expand business offerings.
The Convergence of Print and Digital
It’s no secret that digital technologies have boomed during 2020. But what has been particularly interesting is how these digital technologies also tied together with more traditional tactics and ways of working in an effort to help businesses navigate through the “new normal,” specifically through the increased value of print, for example. One particular print and digital communication method that has gained popularity over the past few months is QR codes, as they are contactless, cost-effective and designed to direct people to a web page or site with more information. By using print and digital communications such as QR codes, businesses have been able to adapt to new methods that they can also implement in their marketing and sales in the future.
Meeting Business Demands with Print
Although these times have presented challenges, they have also inspired opportunities. Several businesses have been able to embrace these opportunities by shifting their operations and thinking outside of the box in order to meet industry trends and customer needs. Some ways dealers can utilize their expertise and technology include creating large-scale signage and restaurant menus for businesses within the food and beverage industry, printing educational packets to support hybrid learning, and badges health care workers can wear clipped to their PPE to help patients recognize their frontline hero, which we touched on earlier.
What is the BICG looking to accomplish in 2021?
Olds: As we continue to learn and move forward to adapt to these new ways of working and living, we must look to the needs of our industry and customers. As we journey through 2021, we look forward to continuing to innovate and drive success for our channel partners by supporting them as they navigate through the hybrid work environment, and to providing high-quality service and support to help them remain efficient and meet customer demands now and for years to come.
While 2020 has been a year like no other, we still have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for our customers and partners and their unwavering efforts to provide for their communities and beyond during this unprecedented year. I am also grateful to lead a dedicated Canon team committed to serving the people we work with. Our customers and partners have adapted and persevered throughout the pandemic while working together with other organizations to provide support and remain efficient in the ever-changing business environment—their efforts have been truly inspiring.
Please stay safe and take care of yourselves and each other. We will get through this together.
1 Template designs based on CDC Guidelines as of June, 2020. CDC Guidelines are subject to change and nothing hereunder is intended to constitute legal advice. Users should consult with their own legal counsel to ensure compliance with COVID-19 related state and federal laws, orders, regulations and guidelines.
2 Many variables can impact the security of a customer’s device and data. Canon does not warrant that the use of its features will prevent malicious attacks, or prevent misuse of devices or data or other security issues.
3 Canon U.S.A., Inc., through its subsidiary Canon Information and Imaging Solutions, Inc. (CIIS), has a strategic partnership with Box and mxHero.
